Portable taper



Aug. 22, 1967 R W U ET AL 3,337,103

PORTABLE TAPER Filed June 17, 1965 5 Sheet-Sheet l INVENTORJ fi/C/MRUL. WQLUJ By GERALD h. J/MFF PORTABLE TAPER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 17, 1965 w M W m w N E Rm w? wm yii 4!! a! Q Q% v o 1 v ATTORNEYS Aug. WALUS ET AL I 3,337,103

PORTABLE- TAPER Filed June 17, 1965 5 Sheets-$heet 5 INVENTORS I fi/c/MRDL Lus y GERALD/l. 8/MFF Aug. 22, 1967 mm ETAL 3332103 PORTABLE T PER Filed June 17, 1965 5 sheets-Sheet 4 I N VENTORS RIcHARDLI WL l/d B Y GERALD It \S'HAFF ATTORNELJ Aug. 22, 1967 R W US ET AL 3,337,103

PORTABLE TAPER Filed June 17, 1965 5 fiheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORJ R/(HARD & WQLUS B Y GERALD l7. JHAFF MQ M A TTORLYE YJ' United States Patent 3,337,103 PORTABLE TAPER Richard L. Walus, Minneapolis, Minn., and Gerald H.

Shaft, Racine, Wis, assignors to Possis Machine Corporation, Minneapolis, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Filed June 17, 1965, Ser. No. 464,728 7 Claims. (Cl. 226-35) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus and method for pulling tape from a roll having a taping cartridge supported on a body for receiving tape from a supply roll. A drive operating the taping cartridge for pulling tape to the cartridge functions with an arm having a tape engaging member for sensing the tension on the tape between the roll and cartridge and a tape stripper wheel for pulling tape from the supply roll. When the tensionson the tape increases friction drive wheels are engaged coupling the drive and tape stripper wheel to pull tape from the roll until the excessive tension is relieved.

This invention relates to a mechanical taping means and specifically to a portable, compressed fluid driven hand taper. The driving structure includes a motor that uses compressed fluid to oscillate a gear via a reciprocating rack which oscillations are transmitted, through a onedirection clutch, to a tape measuring, cutting and wrapping means that may be in combination with a prestripper. The prestripper is a tension reducing means which senses the tension in the tape by means of a pivoting arm over which tape is reeved. When tension increases, the arm is pivoted causing a pair of rollers to be engaged to drive the tape driving roll of the prestripper. The tape driving roll of the prestripper is near the storage roll and strips the tape from the storage roll at a faster lineal rate than the measuring and wrapping means employs.

Mechanical means for taping re-assembled wiring har nesses have been developed and have found acceptance. However, simplification and weight reduction are two facets of these machines that are in need of improvement.

A tape sometimes used in these units is adhesive on a resilient backing. When such tape is pulled from a roll it tends to stretch and exert a back pull which has been known to be of an intensity sufficient to pull the tape back out of the tape measuring structure. If the tape is pulled out of the measuring structure, it is necessary to rethread the tape through the mechanism which is wasted time.

It is the principal object of this invention, therefore, to provide an improved hand taper.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved mechanical taper including means for sensing excessive tension in the tape and for relieving said tension by accelerating the tape at a point nearer the roll than the sensing means.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a relatively trouble free hand taper that is powered by compressed fluid.

It is another object of this invention to provide a mechanical taper that can be used successfully with tapes having a resilient backing by prestripping tape from the roll when the tension in the tape rises above a predetermined level.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a mechanical taper having means for sensing tension in tape; said means changing position in response to a change in tension in the tape to control, by movement of the sensing means, a prestripping means engaging said tape at a point nearer the roll than the sensing means.

Still another object of the invention is to apply tape to an object with the level of tension in the tape, as measured for application, held below a predetermined level.

It is still yet another object of this invention to provide a method for relieving tension in tape being pulled from a roll by releasably gripping the tape at a point near said roll and pulling the tape from said roll at a greater lineal velocity than the tape feeding means does.

It is still yet another object of this invention to provide a mechanical taper including a compressed fluid driving means which converts reciprocating motion to measured, one direction, rotary motion.

It is still yet another object of this invention to provide a portable compressed fluid driven hand taper comprising in combination: a tape roll holder which allows said roll to rotate; tape pulling means; tension sensing means interposed between said tape roller holder and said tape pulling means which changes position in response to a change in tape tension; tape stripping means between the sensing means and roll holder for prestripping tape from a roll of tape at a faster rate than the tape pulling means activated by movement of the tension sensing means in response to tension in the tape above a predetermined level.

Other and further objects of the invention are those inherent and apparent in the apparatus as described, pictured and claimed.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, this invention then comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

The invention will be described with reference to the drawings in which corresponding numerals refer to the same parts and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the invention with part of the driving mechanism and tape roll deleted to conserve space and with hidden and repetitious parts shown in broken lines;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the invention drawn to the same scale as FIGURE 1; broken lines are used to show hidden parts, and a portion of the tape roll is deleted;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in the direction of the arrows in FIGURE 2 drawn to a larger scale than FIGURE 2; broken lines show hidden parts;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 and in the direction of the arrows in FIGURE 2 and drawn to the scale of FIGURE 3; portions are broken away to show internal construction and hidden parts are shown with broken lines;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 5-5 and in the direction of the arrows in FIG- URE 3 and drawn to the same scale as FIGURE 3; broken lines show hidden parts;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 and in the direction of the arrows of FIGURE 3 and drawn to the same scale as that figure; portions are broken away to illustrate the construction more fully and broken lines show hidden structure;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 in the direction of the arrows on FIGURE 3 and drawn to the same scale as that figure; broken lines show hidden parts; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary, longitudinal sectional elevation depicting a portion of the drive mechanism drawn to the scale of FIGURE 3.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly FIG- URE 1, a body 18 is provided which serves as a housing. Rigidly secured to and desirably formed as a contiguous portion of the body 18 is a handle 12. A taping cartridge 14 is secured to the body 18 and is provided with a gear 16 which may be driven to operate the taping cartridge 14. The taping cartridge includes rollers 18 and 20 to guide tape from a roll to the measuring, cutting and wrapping structure of the cartridge 14. An example of a suitable taping cartridge as would be used in this device is depicted in the application of Peter F. Aurich et al., Ser. No. 121,953, filed July 5, 1961, now Patent No. 3,245,860. The body 10 is further provided with a tape support arm 22 upon which the tape roll 24 may be rotatably secured on the shaft 27 via a tape roll bearing 26 secured to the arm 22, as shown in FIGURE 3.

In FIGURE 2 the driving mechanism for the invention may be clearly seen. An air cylinder 28 is provided secured to the handle 12 and conveniently forms an extension of the handle. The air cylinder 28 is provided with a sealing sleeve 38 on the handle end. Sealing sleeve 30 is adequately provided with a sealing means, as for example, O-ring receiving groove 29 into which a conventional O-ring is placed. A piston 32 is disposed to reciprocate within the air cylinder 28. The piston 32 has a connecting rod 34 rigidly and longitudinally secured to it. Connecting rod 34 may be secured to the piston 32 by any convenient means, as for example, the reduced diameter threaded portion 36 on the end of the connecting rod 34 which passes through the piston 32 and is held by the nut 38. The piston 32 is provided with a groove 39 providing a proper means for securing a sealing O-ring thereto.

Compressed fluid is directed to the cylinder via two alternative channels. The channel 48, as seen in FIG- URE 2 at the left, admits compressed fluid at the left of the piston 32 while the channel 42 admits compressed fluid to the right of the piston 32. The fluid admitted through the inlet 44 passes through a chamber 46 which is in communication with the channels 48 and 42. Means are provided for shutting ofl, selectively, one of channels 40 and 42 from the chamber 46 while having the other channel open. Such a means is suitably represented by spool valve 47 and the trigger assembly including a trigger 48 pivotally secured to the body 10. A trigger link 50 connects the trigger 48 which the plunger 52 upon which the spool valve 47 is secured. The spool vlave 47 is provided with O-rings 54 and 56 to block selectively either of the channels 40 and 42, while leaving the other open. In the position depicted in FIGURE 2, the rim 54 blocks the opening of the channel 42 from communication with the chamber 46. It will be noted, in FIGURE 2, that the channel 48 is in communication with the chamber 46 and thus compressed fluid entering through the inlet 44 will be in communication with the left side of the piston 32. When it is desired to advance piston 32, the trigger 48 is pulled toward the handle 12 which moves the spool valve 47 to the left and opens the communication between the duct 42 and the chamber 46. Ring 56 is then in position to close the communication of channel 40 with the chamber 46. Piston 32, therefore, moves from right to left, in FIGURE 2, when trigger 48 is pulled. When the trigger is released, fluid pressure in chamber 46 moves spool 47 to the right which directs fluid to the leftside of piston 32 causing it to resume the position shown in FIGURE 2.

Still in FIGURE 2, the left end of the connecting rod 34 has secured to it a gear rack 58. Gear rack 58 is provided with a stop 60 fastened to it, as will be seen also in the FIGURES through 7. The gear rack 58 slides on the track 62 secured inside the body 10.

A pinion 64, best seen in FIGURE 6, is provided in mesh with the gear rack 58, and the pinion is rotatably secured to the shaft 66. Shaft 66 is journaled to the body 10. An arm 68 is rigidly secured to the pinion 64. Pawl 71) is pivotally secured by pin 71 to the arm 68 and is resiliently urged by spring 73, toward the shaft 66. This pivotal securement is best seen in FIGURE 7.

A cam 72 is rigidly secured to the shaft 66 by any suitable means as, for example, by the pin 74 through the cam 72 and shaft 66. The configuration of this cam 72 is such that as the pinion 64 and arm 68 oscillate in response to reciprocating motion of the gear rack 58, that the cam 72 and shaft 66, as viewed in FIGURE 7, are rotated only in a clockwise direction. The pawl 70 will slip over cam 72 when the arm 68 rotates in a counterclockwise direction.

A second cam 76 is secured to the shaft 66 by any suitable means as by the pin 78 through the cam 76 and the shaft 66. The pawl 80 is pivotally secured to pin 77 mounted in boss 79 of the body 10 and is resiliently urged toward the shaft 66 by spring 81 reacting with pin 83, as best seen in FIGURE 5. Rotation of the cam 76, and thus the shaft 66, in a counterclockwise direction is positively prevented by the pawl 80 engaging a mating surface on the cam 76 as the gear rack 58 is being advanced. It will be noted that the cam 76 is provided with two engaging surfaces. In FIGURE 5, the stop 60, which is secured to the gear rack 58, engages cam 76 as the rack 58 reaches the position shown in FIGURE 2. The purpose of this engagement is to limit rotation of the shaft 66 to a single revolution, precisely, for each reciprocation of the rack 58.

The number of teeth in the pinion 64 should be such as will provide just slightly more than one complete revolution of said pinion 64 upon each stroke of the gear 58. When the gear rack 58 is in the full left position as would be seen in FIGURE 2 the stop 60 is out of engagement with the mating surface on the cam 76 and the gear 58 has been rotated far enough to carry pawl 70 past the engaging surface of cam 72 so that the pawl re-engages the mating surface on the cam 72. When the gear rack 58 begins its return stroke to, the right after trigger 48 is released, as seen in FIGURE 6, the pinion 64 and arm 68 are rotated in a clockwise direction. Rotation greater than one revolution in the shaft 66 is prevented by the engagement of the stop 60 with the mating surface on the cam 76.

A gear 82 is secured to and rotates with the shaft 66. This gear 82, then, will make one clockwise revolution for each cycle of the gear rack 58, as seen in FIGURE 1.

' The gear 82 is disposed to engage and mesh with the gear 16 of the taping cartridge 14 to drive it one complete cycle for each reciprocation of piston 32. The taping cartridge 14 may be any suitable structure and is not, in itself, involved in the inventive disclosure here except in the following way. A structure like taping cartridge 14 depends, for the operation of the tape feeding and measuring mechanism, on the adherence of the tape to the feeding and measuring means. Examples of a tape feed that relies upon the adherence of the tape to the feed mechanism in order to function may be seen in United States application of Peter R. Aurich et al., Ser. No. 121,953, filed July 5, 1961, now Patent No. 3,245,860. When such a feed is used, it can be important to relieve tension in the tape leading from the roll 24 to the cartridge 14. It tape used is one of a resilient character, tension in the tape extending from the roll 24 to the cartridge 14 may pull the tape loose from the measuring and feeding mechanism and in that way break the continuity of the tape feed. To avoid this difliculty, a prestripper mechanism may be incorporated into the taper when required.

A prestripper bracket 85 is secured removably to the body 10 as by the cap screws 87, as seen in FIGURE 2. Shaft 88 is journaled in the bracket 85. A gear 98 is rigidly secured to the shaft 88 by any suitable means and disposed to mesh with the gear 82. Between the sides of the bracket 85, a friction wheel 96 is secured to the shaft 88 suitably as by set screw 98. The friction wheel '96 may be of any suitable friction material, as for example, pressed fiber. Grooves are provided in the periphery of the friction wheel 96 to increase the friction surface available.

A shaft 100 is also journaled in the bracket 85, as seen in FIGURE 4. The left end of the shaft 100 is retained by a collar 102 held in axial position by the threaded lever 104, in turn secured by the lock out 105 as shown in broken lines in FIGURE 8. Resilient means, here the spring 106, is secured to finger 107 on the body and to the lever 104 to bias the shaft 100 into clockwise rotation, as viewed in FIGURE 8. The central portion of the shaft 100 is formed as an eccentric 108 to the main shaft 100 as best seen in FIGURE 2. A wheel 110 is rotatably secured on the eccentric shaft portion 108. The wheel 110 has a mating surface for the friction wheel 96. A tape gripping wheel 112 is secured too, and conveniently formed as an integral portion of the wheel 110. The tape will contact the tape gripping wheel 112 with the adhesive side. Teeth 114 on the periphery of the tape gripping wheel 112 permit releasable gripping of the tape at many small surfaces that in aggregate strip the tape easily from the roll but which also release easily one at a time.

An arm 116 is secured to the shaft 100. It will be seen, in FIGURES 1, 2 and 8, that as the arm 116 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction that the shaft 100 will be likewise rotated counterclockwise, thus bringing the wheel 110 into engagement with the friction wheel 96 against the resilient urging of the spring 106 because of the eccentn'city of shaft 100. A shaft 118 is secured to the arm 116 and a free turning tape pulley 120 is journaled to the shaft 118. The shaft 118 is retained on the arm by any convenient means, as for example, by the washer and screw 122 on the left end in FIGURE 4 of the shaft 118. The tape roller 120 is retained by the washer and screw 124 threaded into the right end, as seen in FIGURE 4, of the shaft 118.

Tape from the roll 24 is reeved with the adhesive side contacting the teeth 114 of the wheel 112 up to the tape roller 120, which the tape engages with its nonadhesive side and from there to the taping cartridge 14. When trigger 48 is pressed and released, the gear rack and clutch mechanism will rotate the gear 16 causing tape from the roll 24 to be pulled into the taping cartridge 14. As the tension in the tape increases, the tape in passing over the roller 120 will tend to pull the arm 116 counterclockwise, as seen in FIGURE 1, against the resilient urging of the spring 106. counterclockwise movement of arm 116 brings the wheel 110 into engagement with the friction wheel 96 which causes the wheel 110 to rotate in a clockwise direction. Wheel 112 is larger than the tape measuring wheels of cartridge 14 to provide a higher linear velocity at stripper wheel 112 than will be present in the tape merely being pulled from the roll by the taping cartridge 14.

It is apparent that many modifications and variations of this invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. The specific embodiments described are given by way of example only and the invention is limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A hand taper comprising in combination: a frame; first means secured to said frame for holding a roll of tape; second means secured to said frame for pulling transient tape and third means secured to said frame between said first means and said second means for relieving tension in the transient tape, said third means also sensing said tension in the tape, said third means for relieving tension in said tape comprises:

(A) a tension sensing element movably secured to said frame in engagement with said transient tape between said tape holding and tape pulling means; said ten- 6 sion sensing element moving in response to a change in transient tape tension;

(B) a tape stripping means secured to and moving with said tension sensing means; said tape stripping means releasably gripping said tape at a point nearer the roll than said tension sensing element, and

(C) driving means secured to said frame near said tape stripping means for driving said tape stripping means at a faster lineal rate than the pulled rate of said tape;

said stripping means engaging at times said driving means in response to movement of said tension sensing element.

2. The hand taper of claim 1 wherein the tension sensing element includes an arm pivotally secured to said frame; said arm including a tape engaging means for engaging and changing the direction of said transient tape and said tape engaging means includes a tape-engaging wheel rotatably secured to said arm about an axis other than the pivot axis of said arm.

. 3. The hand taper of claim 2 wherein said arm is secured to said hand taper by a shaft including an eccentrically disposed shaft portion, said tape-engaging wheel is toothed and rotatably secured upon said eccentrically disposed shaft portion.

4. A hand taper comprising in combination: a body; a cylinder secured to said body; a piston adapted to operate within said cylinder; means for selectively admitting compressed fluid to said cylinder on either side of said piston while exhausting the opposite side of said cylinder; a connecting rod secured to said piston and extending into said body; a gear rack secured to said connecting rod; a first shaft journaled to said body transverse to said gear rack; a pinion journaled to said first shaft; an arm secured to said pinion; a first pawl pivotally secured to said arm and resiliently urged toward said first shaft; a cam secured to said first shaft and engaged by said first pawl so as to be driven in only one direction of rotation; a second cam secured to said first shaft, said second cam having oppositely disposed engaging surfaces; a second pawl pivotally secured to said body and biased to engage one of said second cam engaging surfaces to prevent rotation of said second cam in one direction; a stop secured to one end of said gear rack and engaging the opposite engaging surface of said second cam at the end of a stroke of said gear rack; a power gear secured to said first shaft; a taping cartridge secured to said body; a taping cartridge gear rotatably secured to said taping cartridge; said taping cartridge gear being in mesh with said power gear; a second shaft journaled to said body; a friction wheel secured to said second shaft; a stripper gear secured to said second shaft in mesh with said power gear; a third shaft journaled to said body, said third shaft including an eccentric portion; a stripping wheel secured to said eccentric portion of said third shaft, said stripping wheel having mating surfaces to said friction wheel and a toothed, tape stripping portion; an arm rigidly secured to said third shaft; a tape engaging wheel rotatably secured to said arm and in alignment with the toothed, taped stripping portion of said wheel; a lever secured to said third shaft; resilient means secured to said lever and to said body to bias said third shaft so that said stripping wheel is out of contact with said friction wheel; and a tape holding arm secured to said body for rotatably securing rolls of tape in alignment with said stripping and engaging wheels.

5. A portable hand taper including means for relieving tension in tape pulled from a roll by a taping cartridge comprising in combination: a body; a taping cartridge which pulls tape from a roll imparting a transient velocity to said tape secured to said body; driving means secured to said body for driving said taping cartridge; a tape roll supporting means secured to said body; tape tension sensing means for sensing the tension in said tape by changing positions in response to changes in tension; said tension sensing means secured to said body and interposed between said taping cartridge and said tape roll supporting means; and tape stripping means secured to said tape tension sensing means for driving the tape at a higher linear velocity than said transient velocity when said tape tension sensing means changes position in response to increasing tension in said tape, said means for sensing tension and stripping the tape off of said roll at a higher lineal velocity than the transient velocity comprising a friction wheel rotatably secured to said body and driven only When tape is being taken from said roll, a stripping wheel Which is selectively moved into engagement with said friction Wheel; a tape engaging portion on said stripping wheel; an arm operably secured to said stripping wheel for moving said wheel into contact with said friction Wheel; means secured to said arm and to said body biasing said wheel out of contact with said friction wheel; and a tape engaging wheel rotatably secured to said arm and interposed between said taping cartridge and said roll to substantially change the direction of the tape as it leaves said stripping wheel.

6. A hand taper driving means comprising: a selectively reciprocating compressed fluid driven means; a gear rack secured to said reciprocating driving means; a pinion in mesh with said gear rack to make one revolution with each stroke of said reciprocating driving means; a first pawl pivotally secured to said pinion and resiliently urged toward the axis of said pinion; a shaft journaled to said pinion; a cam secured to said shaft and disposed to cooperate with said first pawl to rotate said shaft for one direction only of motion of said gear rack; a second cam rigidly secured to said shaft; a second pawl for co-operating with said second cam to prevent one direction of rotation of said shaft; a stop secured to said gear rack to cooperate with said second cam to terminate, precisely, rotation of said cam at the end of one stroke of said gear rack.

7. Means for converting reciprocating longitudinal motion into single direction, single revolution rotary motion comprising: a frame, a reciprocating member secured to said frame; a gear rack having extended and rest positions secured to said reciprocating member; a pinion journaled to said frame and meshing With said gear rack; a shaft journaled to said pinion and said frame; a cam secured to said shaft; pawl means secured to said pinion for engaging said cam and transmitting one direction of rotation only; a second cam secured to said shaft; a second pawl secured to said frame and engaging said second cam to lock said cam against rotation in the other direction, and a stop secured to said gear rack and engaging said second cam at times to prevent further rotation of said shaft as said gear rack approaches the rest position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,451,467 10/ 1948 Bickel 226134 X 2,726,084 12/1955 Shee 226127 X 3,225,989 12/1965 Stine 22644 3,227,347 1/1966 Perrine 226 3,245,634 4/1966 Schooler 226195 X FOREIGN PATENTS 719,150 11/1954 Great Britain.

M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

J. N. ERLICH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A HAND TAPER COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A FRAME; FIRST MEANS SECURED TO SAID FRAME FOR HOLDING A ROLL OF TAPE; SECOND MEANS SECURED TO SAID FRAME FOR PULLING TRANSIENT TAPE AND THE THIRD MEANS SECURED TO SAID FRAME BETWEEN SAID FIRST MEANS AND SAID SECOND MEANS FOR RELIEVING TENSION IN THE TRANSIENT TAPE, SAID THIRD MEANS ALSO SENSING SAID TENSION IN THE TAPE, SAID THIRD MEANS FOR RELIEVING TENSION IN SAID TAPE COMPRISES: (A) A TENSION SENSING ELEMENT MOVABLY SECURED TO SAID FRAME IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID TRANSCIENT TAPE BETWEEN SAID TAPE HOLDING AND TAPE PULLING MEANS; SAID TENSION SENSING ELEMENT MOVING IN RESPONSE TO A CHANGE IN TRANSIENT TAPE TENSION; (B) A TAPE STRIPPING MEANS SECURED TO AND MOVING WITH SAID TENSION SENSING MEANS; SAID TAPE STRIPPING MEANS RELEASABLY GRIPPING SAID TAPE AT A POINT NEARER THE ROLL THAN SAID TENSION SENSING ELEMENT, AND 